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Prison Ministry
February 2000 — “The joy of the Lord . . .”
(By Linda Strom—March 2000)
I left my tennis shoes at my friend’s house in Gatesville,
Texas. For those who know my weakness, this may not surprise
you. I’ve left things all over this country. However,
this time I left my shoes on purpose. Since Mary Alice Wise
and I walked through Karla Faye Tucker’s
execution together, I’m always ready to go back. It feels like
home.
What is it about Gatesville? Why did we have nearly 70 volunteers
with us on this trip? Many of us are there because we’ve been
broken on life’s journey. God’s life flowing through our
brokenness enhances our healing. Besides, we love the women
behind the fences. They are aware of our love, and sharing
together is free and easy. I’ve long ago stopped worrying
about the cost of these friendships. Karla proved to me that
the pain of her departure would spiritually prepare me to live life
to its fullest.
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Art and Aileen Jones with Linda Strom
(middle)
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Aileen Jones, a new Texas friend, called from Houston last
night. They stayed and prayed for me at the close of our
seminar. “Art and I weren’t even tired after the long
days in prison and our drive home,” Aileen said. “I’ve decided
it’s because of the joy of the Lord.”
Joy and pain are mysteriously linked. Because of prison
system schedules, we plan our Gatesville ministry trips a year in
advance. We couldn’t have known then that it would be the
weekend before Betty Beets’ execution (on February 24). Once
again it was God’s timing for us to be on Death Row.
Pam
Perillo, who helped in writing Karla Faye Tucker: Set Free
, was again watching a cell mate prepare for
death. This time it was different, though. Although she
still grieves the loss of her closest friend (Karla), Pam is
mentoring a 28-year-old Death Row woman named Brittany. God
has used this process to help Pam stay focused. Although Britt
is still a relatively new Christian, God is working in her
life. She wrote me a long letter of encouragement that came
the same week the editors told me to rewrite Karla Faye Tucker: Set Free
. On Monday, the day after our weekend seminar ended, I
remained behind in Gatesville and visited with some of the women on
Death Row. During my time with Britt, I asked her to pray for
me. It was the first time she prayed out loud. Yesterday
I received the letter that is
included in the side bar.
Friendships like those with Charlie and Mary Alice Wise, the
camaraderie we have as a team, the time we spend in prayer for one
another, and the joy of His presence—that’s why I left my shoes in
Texas. Thank you for making this possible!
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“Let’s pray...”
Letter to Linda from
Brittany:
My dearest prayer friend, Linda,
Well, Pam just woke me up crying, “Britt, get up;
they’ve taken Betty.”
My
first thought was, “Let’s pray.” I know that
is a most common phrase said by Christians. It’s their
bond, and their power to such a wonderful Father. But
until our visit Monday it was something I’d never done, Linda.
I know the power of prayer is in each of
us. But you brought the gift to me. Now I want to
pray about everything. It just felt so good!
You left me with such a powerful tool at a time
in my life when I needed it so desperately. I
love you, Linda. I believe in you.
Lots of love, Britt |
“And these eyes beheld His glory ...”
Volunteers’ Reports
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Lavish grace poured out every place we
went, hope restored to those who had none left and heaped back
up on those running low . . .. Abundance of love, first from Father’s
heart to us, then to the girls and back to Father once again . . . it
was seeing through His eyes the hurt and the fear and feeling His
heart of compassion for those so badly wounded, then watching Him work
as He poured out His spirit bringing healing and joy, forgiveness and
restoration.
And these eyes beheld His glory: Kim’s dance of joy, Father’s
word through Linda as she rocked on, Alma’s brokenness, Susan’s
surrender, Chaplain Nelson’s face glowing with love as he led his
girls in praise (and their countenances beaming back at him!), the
tears in the eyes of one of the guards, the thirst in the souls of
some in Seg and on Cell block, the unity among the team as each member
did their part, in honor serving one another . . .. And these
eyes beheld His glory . . .
—Daria Hermann (Wisconsin) |
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Picture this—hundreds
of women dressed all in white, who were very aware of their need for
God, and who were infinitely grateful for His truly setting them free
and giving them a future and a purpose . . . and who worshipped Him
wholeheartedly and unreservedly. I got a glimpse of heaven, I
think: the Church—the
bride of Christ—dressed
in fine white linen, worshipping the Lamb of God with everything they
had in them. These are the people I’ll spend eternity with;
that’s how Jesus said it would be. God uses and WANTS what the
world thinks is foolish and throws away.
I can hardly wait to go back in February 2001. As crazy as it
sounds, I felt so “at home” in prison.
—Lauri McIntosh (Texas) |
| It’s 3:15 Friday afternoon, 2/18/00, and our flight
to Dallas has just been cancelled. We are in the airport
wondering how we’re going to get to Dallas. We did the only thing we
know to do in an impossible situation: WE PRAYED. God did
what He always does in an impossible situation: HE
ANSWERED! Our God moved in such an awesome way that four
different airplanes later, we arrived in Gatesville and entered the
Mountain View Unit at about 3:15 Saturday afternoon. Yes,
it took 24 hours, but God is faithful and, yes, He does answer prayer.
—Debbie Lassiter for Halal (Wisconsin) |
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I feel so humbled and blessed that God
would allow me to be a part of one of the most awesome weekends I’ve
ever experienced. It was simply holy and powerful, and solely of
God.
—Rhonda Head (Texas) |
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Going to Gatesville is one of the most
memorable experiences I know. Three things stand out most to me:
Alma’s testimony where I learned God’s “weakness” is His
love for me!
Karen’s story about how God uses “cracked pots” to show His
love to the world. Boy , that makes me excited about life’s hard
places—just another opportunity for God to “shine thorough”
my cracks.
And finally, after ministering in Cell Block, I realize how blessed
and grateful I should be to God for my freedom and for the choices He
allows me to make daily.
—Mickie Kennedy
(Texas) |
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 It was such a joy being with you
all! Our experience at Gatesville is certainly unforgettable . .
. like the sign at (our Colonia Guerrero Mission
in Mexico) mission reads, “You will never be the
same.”
Alma kept repeating, “That could be me . . ..”
It was very emotionally draining for me, especially ministering to
those confined in small cells, not unlike the cell where our son
resides. I can only hope and trust I was a channel of God’s
love and hope.
—Charla Pereau (California; Foundations for His Ministry)
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We left Gatesville much like the
lame man in Acts 3—walking and laughing and praising God. The
speakers were all wonderful and God certainly used them, but it was in
the more intimate small groups where God spoke loudest and clearest to
all of us.
I heard women say being sentenced to
Mountain View was the best thing that ever happened to them because “we have learned so much about how to live and how not to
live.”
If anyone doubts the goodness of
God, one only needs to visit those in prison. Indeed, offenders
are every bit as much ministers of the gospel as we who come from
outside.
—Anne Murchison (Texas) |
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 It was a heavenly success! I have
tears of joy in my heart as I write this praise report about the
Discipleship Unlimited weekend.
Under an unbelievably powerful anointing, hundreds made decisions to
follow Christ. We witnessed God at work in six prisons, the
inmates weeping and praising God as they came one by one and
repented. I’ve read about outpourings of the Holy Spirit in
corporate repentance, but I’ve never seen anything like this.
I thank each of you for every prayer and every penny you sow in the
Lord’s mission field so His will be done on earth as it is in
heaven. I saw a glimpse of the glory of the Lord as women
committed their hearts to Jesus. Praise God!
—Carole Ross (Texas; full-time volunteer chaplain at the
Gatesville prisons)
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 (by
volunteer Susan DeGraaf)
To me, the amazing thing about prison
is the way God draws volunteers and inmates together based on the area
of need and pain of BOTH.
The first time I experienced this, I
didn’t appreciate its beauty. God ministers out of our pain, not
in our comfort zone. Having seen Him work through my brokenness,
I now welcome the opportunity to open that door.
I offer one example that is
unremarkable in that it happens EVERY time I meet with a woman
one-on-one in prison.
On the Seg unit, where women are placed
because of behavior problems in General Population, a tiny, vibrant
young woman was standing at her iron door regaling volunteers with
stories and observations and complaints sounding to me as though they’d been practiced. Somewhere in her prison soliloquy, she
casually mentions she has tested positive for HIV since her
incarceration. After a few moments, the volunteer standing with
me moves on to someone more obviously hungry. I listen a few
minutes then casually mention that my husband died of AIDS. Her
countenance instantly changes, and the self-assured prison comedienne
disappears. She tells me her
story. (I never ask an inmate personal questions; what I know of
their history comes only from what they choose to share.) Her family
disowned her because of the disease. They will not accept her
letters and told her that if she dies, they will not let her near their
homes or their children; and if she dies, which they wish she would just
hurry up and do, the county can bury her. Somewhere in the
narrative, she begins a practiced commentary on the situation, and I cut
her off. This is a tragedy; has she ever cried? I know quite a
bit about trying to be the all-capable-strong-woman-who-doesn’t-need-anyone, but I know God desires
us to surrender our own strength so He can show us His. She
cries. “These are the first tears I’ve shed since they sat me
down on my birthday and told me I had HIV.” God
has seldom asked me to minister out of my strength. I have never
felt I arrived in Gatesville with anything to give but my willingness to
be used.
In our Resources section,
you’ll find
our “Gatesville Ministry”
video along with other videos, books, and audio tapes you can order.
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